The PlayStation 4 was the best-selling console for the month of May, while Ubisoft's open-world action hacking game Watch Dogs was the best-selling software title for the month, according to data from NPD Group.

Sony's current-generation console has been on top for five consecutive months, with Xbox One last leading sales in December 2013 (during its launch window). Combined physical hardware and software spending was up 52 percent to around $586 million from $387 million in the same period a year ago.

NPD analyst Liam Callahan says that the last time retail saw a month-over-month increase this big was in June 2008, with a 53 percent increase.

Total consumer spending in May was right around $1.46 billion, with digital sales at around $787 million, and combined used and rentals revenue at approximately $124 million.

While PS4 and Xbox One drove growth in the month, the Wii U and PS Vita also saw year-on-year increases thanks to the release of Mario Kart 8 and a Borderlands 2 PS Vita bundle.

Major software releases for the month included Watch Dogs, Mario Kart 8, Wolfenstein: The New Order, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, and Kirby: Triple Deluxe. Watch Dogs topped the retail sales charts for the month, beating out Mario Kart 8 and MLB 14: The Show.